Whitehall Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Whitehall Primary School. They are thrilled to be able to join together again for assemblies and playtimes following the full-time return to school. Pupils work hard in lessons and said that they enjoy learning.

They like their teachers and think that they are fair. One pupil told an inspector: 'Classes are fun and you can learn without any distractions.'

Pupils are a credit to the school.

They behave well in lessons and around the school. They are polite to visitors and were keen to tell inspectors about their school. They are proud of the responsibilities they are given as anti-bullying ambassadors, eco-warriors or members of the sch...ool council.

Pupils said that they feel safe in school. They are confident that their teachers will help them if they have a problem.

In some subjects pupils are taught well, for example in reading and mathematics.

In these subjects leaders make sure that teachers know exactly what pupils need to be taught. Lessons are less successful where teachers are not sure what the key knowledge is that pupils need to remember, or how it builds on prior learning.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have prioritised reading across the school.

Phonics lessons are well structured and systematically taught. Pupils start to learn how to read as soon as they join the school. Pupils in the Reception Year can confidently identify objects with the same initial sound.

They can then add these to their 'saucepan of silly soup', which is a fun way of developing their understanding of similar words. Pupils said that they enjoy reading. Teachers read to pupils from a range of texts.

Teachers encourage pupils to read widely and often through 'our brilliant book club'. Reading champions promote the importance of and love of reading in each class.

Leaders have not designed an effective curriculum.

The content of the curriculum and the order in which knowledge is taught have not been considered carefully enough in all subjects. Leaders are not ambitious enough for what pupils can achieve. In some lessons, teachers do not provide activities that help pupils to learn or review key knowledge.

Teachers communicate new learning successfully in subjects where the curriculum plans are designed well. In reading and mathematics, assessment is used well to check that pupils acquire the intended knowledge before moving on. However, leaders have not developed a systematic approach to assessment in the foundation subjects.

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is well led and managed across the school. Teachers make sure that pupils with SEND get the help they need. This aspect of the school's work is good.

The curriculum in the early years is well structured and supports children to learn well. Staff have established clear routines that are well known by children. Children quickly become independent and confident learners in the early years foundation stage.

They play and learn happily together.

Promoting pupils' personal development is high on the agenda of school leaders. Leaders make sure that pupils have a range of rich learning and developmental experiences beyond lessons in the classroom.

Pupils in Year 6 recently visited a local secondary school to use its science equipment, as part of a unit of work preparing them for secondary school. Year 3 pupils went on a trip to a local museum to learn about the Ancient Egyptians. Pupils also enjoy the clubs they can join, which include sports, cookery and sewing clubs.

Pupils understand that it is important to show respect to everyone. Staff model this well and relationships between staff and pupils are positive.

Governors are experienced.

They recognise that the checks they make to assure themselves of the quality of the school's work have been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. They are keen to resume their monitoring activities, so that they can provide challenge and support for school leaders and hold them to account for the quality of education provided.

A significant number of parents who were spoken to on the playground, and those who responded to the online survey, expressed some concerns about the school.

In particular, they do not feel that any issues or concerns they raise are dealt with quickly or effectively enough by leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have clear systems in place for recording concerns about pupils.

Leaders work effectively with external agencies to provide support for families when needed.

Staff understand that it is vital to keep a close eye on keeping pupils safe. They have received appropriate training.

However, leaders do not make regular checks to ensure that staff keep their safeguarding practice sharp.

Leaders take allegations of bullying seriously. They investigate reports of bullying thoroughly.

However, some parents do not feel that leaders deal well with their concerns about peer-on-peer bullying.

Leaders complete the checks needed to make sure that the adults in school are suitable to work with children.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum in some subjects, such as computing, history and Religious Education (RE), is well planned and sequenced.

This means that pupils' learning does not build on what they have learned before. Leaders must prioritise the development of a curriculum that is coherently sequenced in all subjects. ? In some subjects, the activities that teachers ask pupils to complete do not always match what they want pupils to learn.

As a result, the knowledge teachers want pupils to remember is confused or diluted. Leaders should make sure that they are checking more closely what pupils have learned, to inform their curriculum plans. This will help teachers to set tasks and activities which will support pupils to remember the key knowledge identified in the intended curriculum.

• Leaders train staff in how to keep pupils safe. However, they do not regularly revisit the training. Leaders should ensure that staff are provided with regular safeguarding updates, and should check that staff remember vital safeguarding messages.

• A significant number of parents who gave their opinion about the work of the school are not happy. These parents do not feel that their concerns are responded to well. Leaders must make sure that they have procedures in place so that any issues parents may have can be identified and resolved in an appropriate and timely manner.

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